@babel/register is a convenient Babel module that transpiles your code on the fly. By simply requiring it, any subsequent require() calls for .js, .jsx, .ts, or .tsx files will be automatically compiled by Babel, making it easier to use ESNext features in your Node.js projects without pre-compilation steps. This is especially useful during development and for running tests directly without needing a build process. Use with caution in production environments due to performance considerations.